‘I left Man City as I had no future there, now I’d be ideal solution for Man Utd’ – £33m-rated Bayer Leverkusen star sends shock transfer message to Man United

‘I left Man City as I had no future there, now I’d be ideal solution for Man Utd’ – £33m-rated Bayer Leverkusen star sends shock transfer message to Man United

Jeremie Frimpong was once part of Manchester City’s famed academy but was told he had no future at the Etihad – now at the top of his game, he could have also been a crucial player for Man United

Having joined Leverkusen from Celtic in January 2021, where he played primarily as a right-back, the idea of scoring double figures in a single season must have seemed far-fetched to the Dutch international in the past. However, the 24-year-old has been transformed into an attacking wing-back by Alonso.

Since then, he has skyrocketed to being one of the top players in his position – thanks to the Spaniard’s exceptional coaching – a stark contrast to when City told him he wasn’t part of their future plans.

Speaking with SportBible earlier this year, Frimpong recalled: “I kept playing [an age group] down and I think when I was under-23s at City, I remember going in for a new contract and that’s when I knew my path at City was different.

“They were talking about how I couldn’t get into the team and were comparing me to other players in the academy that were doing better than me. I thought, ‘Yeah, I clearly don’t have a future here,’ so I’ve got to take a different step.

“I remember going to that meeting and he was saying, ‘You’re too small’ and it’ll be too physical. That’s when I was thinking, ‘Oh s***, where am I going to go?'”

The answer was Celtic. He moved to the Glasgow club in September 2019, signing a four-year deal. However, he made his mark so quickly in Scotland that he earned a transfer to Germany less than two years later, joining Leverkusen, who were under the leadership of Peter Bosz at the time.

But it was under Alonso, who took charge in October 2022, that Frimpong’s potential began to truly unfold. He ended the 2022/23 season with an impressive 20 goal involvements, the majority of which came after Alonso’s appointment.

The 2023/24 season, Alonso’s first full term in charge, saw Frimpong reach even greater heights. He scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists, playing a key role in Leverkusen’s league and cup triumphs.

However, prior to Frimpong becoming a Bundesliga sensation, Manchester United had made contact with his representatives ahead of the 2023 summer transfer window.

As Frimpong’s impressive 2023/24 season unfolded, United kept an eye on him and even considered making a move for him in the 2024 summer window.

His performances in Germany at the time had United fans excited about the possibility of him being signed by compatriot Erik ten Hag.

He was in scintillating form, establishing himself as the best wing-back in the world at that point.

It was reported that he had a £33.5million release clause in his contract that would be active until mid-July, making it even more tempting to sign him ahead of the current season.

But a move never materialised, meaning Frimpong is still in Germany and continues to play a crucial role for Leverkusen